For those of you who journeyed with me on the glass plate negatives series, you know that although so much was discovered and answered about the Treadwell family, I wasn't able to find out any information on this beautiful young woman, other than her first name. Leta.
Last week I shared that I was able to identify Leta as Leta Belle Forsyth!
As I became curious about other family members, I searched for Leta. After discovering that the grandmother of the family, Sarah Rogers Treadwell, remarried after her first husband's death, I found that she had two more sons, half brothers of Elberton Treadwell. One of the brothers, was Charles Burdett Forsyth. And I was thrilled to learn he married a woman named Leta Belle Kepler.
Leta Belle Kepler was born in 1878 in New York. She married Charles Forsyth in 1900 and as far as I can tell, they had no children. Charles was a doctor and the couple lived in Alexandria Bay, New York, where Leta was born and raised.
I found this biographical information online. It is part of the Library of Congress' collection.
Published in 1905, 'Genealogical and Family History of the county of Jefferson, New York' by Oakes, Rensselaer Allston, Lewis Publishing Col, Chicago IL, pp 211 - 212.
Dr. Charles B. Forsyth spent the early years of his life in the
town of Mexico, Oswego county, and received his preliminary educa-
tion in its common schools. He then took up his residence in Water-
town, attended high school, and at the same time studied medicine with
Drs. J. D. and H. G. P. Spencer, of Watertown, sketches of whom
appear elsewhere in this work. While a resident of Watertown, Dr.
Forsyth was employed in the Woodruiif House Drug Store, and thereby
acquired a thorough pharmaceutical education, which is a valuable aid
to him in his chosen profession. He later matriculated in Bellevue Hos-
pital College, New York city, from which institution he was graduated
in 1898. During his residence in New York city he served on the staff
of Bellevue Hospital, and the Lying-in-Hospital. After his graduation
he established an office in Alexandria Bay, New York, and at once
began to put to a practical test the theoretical knowledge he had gained
during his years of study. His specialty is diseases of the nose and
throat, for which branch of the profession he is eminently qualified,
owing to his having taken special courses on those subjects. He now
enjoys a large and select patronage, and has met with remarkable suc-
cess in the treatment and diagnosis of disease. In addition to his private
practice he serves as medical examiner for the Order of Modern Wood-
men of America, and the Order of the Maccabees, in both of which he
holds membership, and for ten life insurance companies. He is a mem-
ber of the Jefferson County Medical Society, and the New York State
Medical Society. He holds membership in the Reformed church; is
a Republican or Independent in politics ; and his fraternal relations are
with the Order of Free and Accepted Masons, of Alexandria Bay; the,
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Anglers' Association.
In 1899 Dr. Forsyth married Leta B. Kepler, a native of Alex-
andria Bay. New York, daughter of John Kepler, and granddaughter
of Amiel Kepler. The latter named was a native of the town of Le Ray,
New York, his parents having been among the pioneer settlers. He
took up his residence in the town of Alexandria Bay, New York, where
he followed farming up to the year of his death. 1866, at the age of
forty-six years. He married Rogenia Palmer, a native of Germany,
who bore him seven children, six of whom are living : Peter, a resi-
dent of Philadelphia, New Y'ork; Mary, wife of Watson Jones, of
Alexandria Bay, New York; Ehzabeth, wife of Peter Schultz, both of
whom are deceased ; William, a resident of Wellesly Island ; Louis, who
resides on the old homestead ; Addie, wife of William Knight, of Thou-
sand Island Park; and John, father of Leta B. (Kepler) Forsyth.
Rogenia (Palmer) Kepler, mother of these children, died at the age
of sixty-five years. John Kepler was born in the town of Alexandria,
December 15, 1856. He received a common school education, and
during the first eleven years of his business career he served as a steam-
boat captain. In 1888 he established the Thousand Island Steam Bot-
tling Works, of which he is the present proprietor. He has been the
incumbent of various offices of trust and responsibility, namely : town
elerk, trustee of the village, and trustee and president of the board of
education. His wife, Charlotte (Ball) Kepler, daughter of Charles
Ball, whom he married in 1878, bore'him the following-named children :
Henry Clay, Leta Belle, and Helen Nirone Kepler.
I was able to find bottles from Leta's father's company listed online.
Pictures accessed at www.hutchbook.com
I wasn't able to find much more on Leta's family. She married Charles in 1900 and on May 21, 1922 Charles died from complications in surgery. Leta was widowed at 34.
I looked everywhere for any details about Leta after Charles' death. A newspaper clipping shared that Leta travelled to Bermuda with a friend, Esther Cline, two years after Charles died. I also discovered that in 1928 she married a widower, Frederick W Thomson.
Accessed on Ancestry.com
Frederick W. Thomson
Picture accessed at ancestry.com
Fred was a lawyer and lived in Alexandria Bay. I assume that is where they met. He later became a judge in Syracuse, NY. One year after their marriage, Fred died on August 29, 1929 after an illness. Leta again was widowed. Though she experienced much loss, it didn't keep her down. Social calendars published in local papers showed she was a frequent guest at events and in people's homes.
Apparently Leta loved to travel and another newspaper clipping revealed she was in Honolulu Hawaii in 1931 and having the 'time of her life.' I'm so glad.
Published in the Honolulu Star Bulletin, Feb 18, 1931, p 8. Accessed on newspapers.com
The Moana Hotel, Waikiki Beach, Honolulu Hawaii. Accessed on flickr.com
Leta Belle died in 1968. She is buried next to Charles in Alexandria Bay, New York.
Picture accessed at findagrave.com
It is so nice to be able to finally know who the woman at the window was. Now I'm off to search for others who have been lost to time. I can't wait to bring you their stories!